Spin bowler Nathan Lyon admits he’s feeling the heat to keep his Australian Test spot but is confident he’s the man for the job.

Questions remain over Lyon’s wicket-taking ability after a forgettable year yielding just 14 Test wickets at an average of 61.5, culminating in the thumping by Pakistan in the UAE in conditions tailor-made for spin.

The NSW bowler missed this week’s Sheffield Shield match against South Australia due to the birth of his second child and he admits fellow Blues spinner Steven O’Keefe’s match-winning bowling performance there adds to pressure surrounding his Test spot going into the home series against India.

But Lyon remained adamant he’s got what it takes at Test level.

“You’re always under pressure,” he said on Wednesday.

“You’re playing international cricket at the highest level so if people aren’t putting you under pressure you aren’t improving.

“It’s about how you handle that and how you bounce back.

“I’m confident in my skill to get the job done no matter what. It’s unfortunate it didn’t happen in Abu Dhabi and Dubai but you have to pay credit to (Pakistan’s) spin bowling.

“So I’m looking forward to coming out here in Australia and putting in a good performance for NSW leading into the Test series.”

In conditions where Pakistan’s spinners thrived, Lyon had the disappointing figures of 2-148 and 0-72 in the Dubai Test and 1-154 and 0-48 in the Abu Dhabi Test.

But Lyon, who will head to Queensland for the Shield match starting on Sunday, said he’s feeling mentally and physically refreshed after a break from the game.

He said he’d taken a lot from his experience in the UAE and has been tinkering with his bowling style.

He’ll link up again with bowling coach John Davidson, the former South Australian spinner, when he arrives in Brisbane.

“I’m definitely working on a few different things in the nets here especially reflecting on the Pakistan series,” he said.

“So I’m always learning and I’m looking forward to making a few changes here and there.”